Did Hidden Mold in an Apartment Wall Cavity Send Texas Woman to the Hospital?

Mold will grow in areas that are not readily observable with the introduction of water or elevated humidity levels.

Last month KAST broadcast a report about a San Antonio woman who claims mold in her apartment is causing her health problems. According to the news story it all started when water damage to her bedroom wall resulted in the property management company removing the damaged wall board. The tenant observed what she believed to be mold growth that had turned the pink insulation into a green and black color. The apartment managers acknowledged the discoloration, but claimed there was no active mold growth. These claims were based on observations and no tests were conducted at that time.

The tenant began sleeping on her couch to get away from the wall next to her bed that she believed was full of mold. She also reportedly recently had to go to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a respiratory infection.

“Mold will grow in areas that are not readily observable with the introduction of water or elevated humidity levels,” said Hollis L. Horner, President, Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc. “During our investigations we often find mold growing in places that people don’t normally check. These places include behind dry wall, wallpaper, and paneling. Mold is also frequently found in attics, basements, crawl spaces, above ceiling tiles, and even under carpets and carpet pads. When elevated levels of mold are found indoors they can cause allergies, trigger asthma attacks in sensitive individuals, and some types of mold can even lead to infections in people with a weakened or suppressed immune system.”

Mold needs moisture and a food source to grow. Unfortunately, most building materials, furnishing, and belongings make for an ideal food source when moisture is present. Controlling moisture is crucial for preventing mold growth as many types of mold will begin to grow indoors in as short as 24 to 48 hours when conditions are right.

Property management companies and tenants faced with concerns over the potential presence of mold in their properties can turn to the experts at Indoor Environmental Consultants. They provide testing and consulting services to pinpoint the source of any contamination, monitor its safe removal, and make recommendations to prevent it from returning.

IEC began operations in 2001 with some of the nation’s most seasoned professional indoor air quality consultants who already had over 70 years of combined experience. The indoor environmental quality firm specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional and residential buildings. Their services, related to fungal (mold), chemical, bacterial, asbestos and particulate pollutants, are offered throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest. IEC is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a mold assessment company (ACO0114) and an asbestos consultant agency (100329).